Masanobu Hojo
Masanobu Hojo (北条 政信, Hōjō Masanobu) is a member of the Tokyo Team also known as the Gantz Team in two of their missions, dying in the second he participated in. Appearance Hojo is an handsome 20 year old male, whom used to be a male model in the anime and is one in the manga. He tall and lean with long brown hair and fair skin. He wears a blue jacket along with blue pants in the anime. He also wears the Gantz suit in both missions he went on, under his regular clothes. He appears on the cover of at least one chapter. Background In the anime he was a former model who left his modeling agency after the manager came onto him. In the manga he is still a model and it is mentioned that his CEO is queer and he is being set up with a female model with big breasts called Y whom he passes on to one of his friends. In the anime he is also made into a student while in the manga it seems he is long out of school making enough money as a famous model. He dies in a huge traffic accident along with his stalker who climbed on the bike behind him. Personality Hojo initially seems superficial, cocky, and vain, showing sole concern for his appearance when entering the Tokyo room after being told to wear the suit, as he feared what others would think of him. He decides to wear his clothing over it for the Tanaka Alien Mission, but later is shown to have understood the severity of the situation and how those things didn't matter anymore in Gantz. In accordance with this, he wears his suit only for the Buddhist Temple Alien Mission. He also believes they could take care of the aliens themselves during the mission. Hojo is somewhat clever, as he fooled an individual talking about him in the bookstore into believing he was talking to a model with big boobs. He also deduces that the Tanaka aliens are not able to breathe if they leave their robot suits. He was also able to use the Radar Device effectively to locate the alien targets. He is shown to be somewhat mean-spirited in the beginning, as he advocates for Sadayo to get off the motorbike immediately, not heeding the fact that they were in traffic. He also acts aloof from the other participants, saying it doesnt matter if they wear their suits or not. This attitude changes though during the Buddhist Temple mission, as he has emulated Kato's attitude in a sense, caring for the other participants and showing compassion. When he leads a team to confront the remaining aliens during the mission, he even sacrifices himself to allow the individuals without the suits to escape and get the others. Hojo is also shown to have developed some trust and camaraderie with Kato, following his lead in helping him stop the giant Buddha alien's foot, displaying bravery. He shows his worry for Kato after they are stepped on, asking how his suit was. He even seems jokingly mad that Kato is ordering him about even after he named him a leader, but he still complies with his orders. Going along with his new change, he shows concern and care for Sadayo Suzumura, asking if she's alright when they're facing Kannon's guards. Also, he compliments her upon her pretty face, instead of saying dismissive insults as he used to. This all cumulates in the end for him, as Hojo shares true acceptance and affection for Sadayo prior to his death along with hers, sharing one final kiss. Plot Tanaka Alien Mission Arc Masanobu is first seen in a bookstore talking to a dating agent while his friends look jealousy towards him and several girls eagerly look at him. Then after he pays for his purchases he notice that a girl is stalking him, so he decides to take off, giving someone 10,000 yen for their motorcycle in order to get away from her. A girl, in an attempt to flirt asks Hojo if she can ride with him, he agrees but says he's not dropping her off anywhere. He drives off before realizing that the girl with her arms around him isn't the one he agreed to take for a ride, but his stalker, who switched places without him noticing. Later a truck driver falls asleep at the wheel and ends up killing an old woman and her grandson as he crashes into their car; they in turn end up crashing into the motorcycle killing Hojo and his stalker Sadako. He then appears in the Tokyo room. When Kato tries to help him by informing everyone to wear a basic suit, Hojo replies "I can't go outside wearing that", but decides to wear it as he realizes that he might die otherwise, and that he can wear the suit under his clothes. After being transported outside, he sees the beginning of the fight between Nishi and the Shopping Tanaka Alien, wherein Nishi's suit gets disabled and he calls out for help. Just like the others he ignores his pleas and watches as Kato jumps down to help. As Kato faces the alien he follows the three remaining bikers, Ryota Sugihara and Kayo Sugihara to leave the area. He along with the others then hear a ringing noise in his head, and he see how one of the biker's head explodes as he leaves the area. He returns to the scene where the battle took place, and sees Nishi's wounded body who wonders if it is over, trying to look at his Controller while dying, they then find out it is broken luckily he has another one and they find out there are more. They also find out from the still dying Nish, that they need 100 points in order to get free from the games after which he finally dies. Kato then shouts at all of them to listen to him if they want to be free, he then discusses with them that there might be bombs in their heads which will explode if the leave the one square mile area that the controller shows them.He then also brings for a timer which turns out to be a time limit in which they have to end the mission. Kato then takes the lead saying they will have to kill the other alien within the time limit to be free leaving Kurono and the remaining bikers behind they head off. They then encounter a Tanaka Infant which is soon joined by more of them and five new Tanaka's that put them in a pincer move. Kato then charges at one of them and forces it out of its husk before beating it to the ground killing it then Kishimoto then manages to shoot another one but is about to get attacked by the remaining three, when he uses the suit to crush out another Tanaka who runs away from them. It then runs back to them trying to get back into its Tanaka's shell but dying before doing so. They then realize the other two went after the Sugihara's. They then follow their trail and he alongside Kishimoto kills the remaining two. They then head to the last group of Tanaka's arriving right after Kurono's daring escape from their lair. Who tells them it is all over when the Tanaka Aliens' Boss arrives kills Haruya Numata and then faces of with him, before going after Kurono. He then watches Kurono beat it after which he is send back to the room along with the other survivors. Kato then tells them that if what Nishi told them is true the need 100 points to be permanently free but that they are free for now. Then during scoring, Gantz refers to him as Homo, much to Hojo's embarrassment, and prompting Kurono and Kato both move away from him, surprising Kishimoto by their apparent intolerance. He receives 10 points, while still denying Gantz insinuation but he does not seem terribly offended by their actions. They then leave the room and go their own ways knowing that one day they will meet again in the room for a new mission. Buddhist Temple Alien Mission Arc He is the third returning hunter to be brought back to the Tokyo room being almost greeted as Homo by Masaru Kato who returned before him. He comments about the new members, then reacts with alarm when Sadako arrives in the room directly behind him. After ignoring the ravings of Musō Tokugawa, he says it doesn't matter that the others aren't wearing their suits, he is sure that they can handle it themselves. Upon being the first to be warped to the temple, he questions where they are. He later praises Kato's naming of the "X-gun". Kato then looks through the fun finding out that the statues are aliens then they burst out of their confines and he helps the others open the heavy temple doors allowing them to run away from the grumpy and rowdy aliens. He then watches as Kurono takes down grumpy and engages Rowdy whom gets sniped down by new player Juzo Togo. He then along with the others start fighting the Smaller Sized Buddhist Temple Aliens only to be amazed at the Daibutsu Alien rearing its giant body. Then as a passerby wanders onto the temple grounds wondering about the destruction he helps Kato, Kishimoto and his stalker Sadayo save the man's life by holding up the aliens giant foot. Who then crushes them the moment the man is gone, luckily they all survived. Then he watches as Kurono engages the alien, being witness to newcomers Akitoshi Okazaki death and Kurono using himself to head shot the alien killing it. They then find out that there are two left and he makes him the leader of his own team Hojo and his team of five including himself and Sadayo and three new members JJ, Yuta Kondo and Tomashiro Jiro enter Kannon's room and get attacked by Kannon's 4 Guards who quickly kill JJ. He then tells the other two to get out of here to get the others help, the door is blocked however at which point Sadayo shoot one of the guards. Giving Yuta and Jiro the chance to escape which they do. He then tells Sadayo they must deal with them. Suddenly, one of the statues slaps the gun out of Hojo's hand, reacting quickly, he punches the statue hard, sending it flying into the wall. He then asks Sadayo if she's alright, Kannon then comes for them with its acid. When Kato and the others arrive at Kannon's room, Hojo and Sadayo have been burnt in half while kissing each other. Having died in one final embrace. Anime/Manga Differences * Hojo's behavior around Sadako differs somewhat depending on the media. In the manga, he seemed pretty frightened of her as shown when he screamed after landing near her feet when the Boss Tanaka Alien sent him flying and again when she materialized behind him in the room during the start of the third mission. In the anime version he regards her more with annoyance rather than fright, and even ends up worrying for her safety during the Buddha mission (much to his own chagrin). *In the anime he is a student and former model while in the manga he is a model and nothing is stated about his academic life or lock thereof. Abilities & Skills Masanobu shows a lot of skills and initiative during his first mission, choosing to wear the suit even though he was originally against it, then utilizing it and the equipment to kill two of the Tanaka Aliens. Utilizing the suit he does many power feats and resists many blows. He also had the mind to get a controller in his first mission that helps all of them beat the Tanaka's He also was a natural with the weapons, quickly learning how to use them. He also shown some basic fighting skills while engaging Kannon's 4 Guards. Mentally he quickly accepted and adapted to the situation of the games being even a bit eager and overconfident that they can win their final mission without the help of the new people. He is also willing to take risk and sacrifice himself for others which further shows his mental strength. He is also very tall and physically fit, he has a go get them fighting style and he can think tactically, all in all he is very well rounded individual. Gallery Hojomanga.jpg|Hojo as seen during the Tanaka Mission in the manga Hojo.png|Hojo as seen in episode 17 mojo4gx.gif|Hojo as he appears on the Gantz score board 33683.jpg|Hojo holding a Gantz gun on one of the DVD front covers sadakoytoho.jpg|Hojo and Sadako preparing to kiss after they have been cut up by statues before they die. Hojo.jpg|Hojo as he appears to be talking to someone Quotes *(While talking on the phone)'' "I don't like girls with big breasts."'' *(While trying to get away from Sadayo)'' "Can I barrow your bike? I'll give you 10.000 yen."'' *(Notice that Sadayo got onto the bike)'' "What the fuck are you doing here?!"'' *(After learning he should put on the basic suit)'' "I can't go outside wearing that."'' *(Talking about the controller)'' "You mean this."'' *(When being pincer-ed by the flock of tanaka's)'' "There's a bunch of them."'' *(While crushing a tanaka)'' "Is this how you do it?"'' *(After the third tanaka dies)'' "Maybe if it leaves this suit thing it can't breath and suffocates"'' *(After being called a homosexual by Gantz)'' "No I'm not. Fuck you guys. - I'm not gay."'' *(When nobody of the new people listen to Kato to put on the suit)'' "Does it really matter? I think we can handle this by ourselves."'' *(As he arrives at the Raiteii Temple)'' "Whoa, a temple, where is this?"'' *(After finding out what Kato has called the gun)'' "Uhm, Good enough, X-gun it is."'' *(When finding out how pretty Sadayo actually is)'' "So that is what your face looks like."'' *(When getting assigned his own team to hunt the final alien)'' "Hey, I am also leading here right"'' *(While facing Kannon's Guards)'' "Anyone who is not wearing a suit stay behind me."'' *(When looking at their dire situation)'' "The two people behind me do whatever it takes to get out of here. Get the others to help us."'' *(Right before dying)'' "Sadako, are you alright. You'd better make a break for it, run Sadako"'' Trivia *Hojo is featured in the official Gantz game as a playable character. In the game he can be seen using a Gantz sword, though in the manga and anime he was never shown wielding the sword at all. * Despite being a minimal character, Kato had shown great trust in Hojo as shown in their partnership in the two missions he appears in. This can be seen when he made him the leader of a split group to take down the remaining aliens in the Buddhist Temple Alien Mission. Kato had also grieved over his death which showed he cared about and trusted him. * Hojo also seems eager to participate in Gantz * Hojo does not like girls with big breasts. * Hojo was listed in the final chapter specifically by Kato as one of their many companions who died during the events of the series. Navigation Category:Tokyo Gantz team Category:Playable characters in Gantz video game Category:Male characters Category:Deceased characters